Why Don’t You Pursue Filmmaking: The Struggles In Changing Careers

This is probably the most frequent question I get in my professional life and when I am introduced to new people in my personal life. This question also stabs my heart like a twisting rusty knife.

I don’t do what I got my Masters in...

I don’t do what I have my terminal, PhD equivalent, MFA in…

Trust me, you don’t have to point it out as I am fully aware of all this. I however, do what I am best at. Sure, a lot of people don’t do what they get their first degrees in (Ironically, I now do) but when you take the time to get a graduate degree people are appalled when you take a different path.

I was a decent filmmaker and I saw my work win awards and screen at festivals but it just wasn’t for me. I am a better Social Media strategist; in fact I think I am one of the best. (sorry for the lack of humble pie here) Yet, I still get this question from co-workers, bosses, people in the same field, people who are interviewing me to work with them, basically everyone and it makes me feel awful.

It makes me feel like all the hard work I put in my career is seen as nothing, and the person asking sees me as a failure, a failed filmmaker.I am a failure at neither.
I chose the path I enjoyed most. I chose to be a trailblazer in a field that is becoming increasingly important, yet struggles to be taken seriously. It hurts my soul when someone in my field or on my team asks me this. Be happy I am here; be happy I am on your team. Let’s not take a step backwards.

I want to be here, I love what I do and so what if it took me going to graduate school for something else and hating every single second of it. I still finished; I gave it a shot and had the guts to say, “This is not for me!”

Sure, I am not an MBA but I feel like my three letters are equally important and offer a unique advantage to my profession. I am a trained storyteller, writer, cinematographer and editor. How can anyone not see the advantage to those skills in the art of branding communication? I can deal with outsiders thinking I play on Facebook all day but even they are seemingly faster to understand than my own professional kin.

So next time you want to ask someone why they are not doing something, please don’t

Instead be happy they are here, they chose to work with you and advance your field.

Being different is the first step in #winning!